Allama Iqbal and we

Mohammad Iqbal commonly known in the sub continent as Allama Iqbal, is one of the all time greatest philosopher, poet and politician ever produced by the Muslim world. ‘Allama’ is an Arabic word means ‘the learned one’ and when it boils down to Allama this title is not too sufficient.  The best title which suits for a personality like him is ‘shaheen’ which is also the symbol of his poetry. Many Islamic thinkers today say that his poetry is not just a source of inspiration for the Muslim youth but it is also a reawakening call for the Muslim Ummah. His poetry is a blend of Holy Quran and the Islamic history that is why you will find in his poetry sometimes allegorical elements but at the same time he is optimistic that one day we will see the spiritual, political revival of Islamic civilization across the world. He is also called the thinker of Pakistan because he works together with Mohammad Ali Jinnah in formation of Pakistan.  Muslims in the south Asia also called him the ‘sage of Ummah’ and ‘the poet of the east’ because he was truly the great servant of Islam.

 The founder of Pakistan Mohammad Ali Jinnah paying his rich tribute to the historical service of  Allama Iqbal he said,  “Every great movement has a philosopher and Iqbal was philosopher of the National Renaissance of Muslims in India. He in his works has left an exhaustive and most valuable legacy behind him and a message not only for Muslims but for all the nations of the world.” Yesterday we celebrated   Iqbal day across the sub continent different seminars were held, articles were written in the newspapers, new books were published on the day but as a Muslim nation, we are showing apathy towards his global message for which he worked hard throughout his life. It is good to celebrate his day with great fervor but what about the responsibilities and duties which we should carry forward. The younger generation doesn’t know too much about Iqbal studies, the syllabus in our schools is below par and some interest groups are trying to exclude the fundamental teachings of Islam in their schools. These seminars, holidays will work to some extent but not at the whole, we need to reach out to the younger Muslim generation, who are already under the onslaught of westernization to make them feel that  if you pay little bit attention towards     Iqbal studies you can mould your life according to the Islamic character but unfortunately it is not happening in anywhere.

The Muslim community, as Iqbal conceived it, ought effectively to teach and to encourage generous service to the ideals of brotherhood and justice. The mystery of selflessness was the hidden strength of Islam. Ultimately, the only satisfactory mode of active self-realization was the sacrifice of the self in the service of causes greater than the self. If we use this yard stick in our enslaved Kashmir then we are fighting an already lost battle because the hypocrisy is here, self interest is here, conscience is dead and the passim has engulfed our whole life. If Allama would have been alive today he would have shedding tears by seeing the plight of Muslim ummaha in general and Kashmir in particular because he was very proud of being a Kashmir. It is not too late still, we can carry forward the mission of Allama Iqbal but for that we have to pull up our socks.

Lo, like a candle wrestling with the night

Over my own self I pour my flooding tears,

I spent my self, that there might be more light,

More loveliness, more joy for other men. (Asrar-e-Khudi)

Obam’s statement over Kashmir, is this sincerity or compulsion?

Before President Barak Obam’s trip to south Asian countries, everybody in the sub continent was waiting eagerly and patiently that what will be the America’s stand on Kashmir in the backdrop of the recent mass movement in the valley when he will be in India. There was a concern in India, that he might draw a line on the Kashmir when he will meet its counterpart at New Delhi. The breathless Indian media started earlier discussing the threadbare of Obam’s visit to India before his arrival and also maintained a pressure tactics on Obama administration that he should condemn and warn those perpetrators of Mumbai carnage and also send a strong message across the border that Pakistan should dismantle those terror groups which are responsible for this act. 

But after his 75-minute meeting with Dr Singh, Obama told a joint press conference that he had discussed the situation in the region, including India-Pakistan relations with Dr Singh.
“Kashmir is a longstanding dispute between India and Pakistan. I believe both Pakistan and India have interest in reducing tensions between the two countries,” US President said.
The US President was replying to a question asked by an    American journalist about his administration’s policy on Kashmir. Obama said
“The US cannot impose solutions to these problems. I have indicated to Prime Minister that we are happy to play any role the parties think is appropriate in reducing tensions. It is in the interest of the two countries, region and the US,” Obama said at a joint press conference with Dr Singh. It clearly shows that Obama is cautious as well as defensive after the loss of his democrats in the recent elections in the U.S, it looks bleak that he will be re-elected U.S.A president again because the Democrats are no more having majority in the congress. Thus it was more economical and political compulsion of the president to maintain equilibrium between the two nations. He signed three billion business deals with Indian companies and created fifty five thousand jobs in the U.S.A, where the unemployment rate is remarkably increasing from the last five years and the Obama Govt has not taken any serious step so for to counter it. These business deals will definitely bring stability to American economy that is why he was accompanied   by the biggest ever business delegation to India by any U.S president.

 But if the president Obama wants any stability in the region then he has to play a key role in resolving the long standing Kashmir dispute.  His statement on Kashmir that it is a dispute between the two countries was welcomed by all most all major separatist leaders   in the valley however the pro-Indian parties reiterated their stance that the issue has to be resolved bilaterally between India and Pakistan and America can’t act as a mediator. Is this enough or Kashmiri leadership from the both sides were expecting more from Mr. Barrack Obama? Chairman of Hurriyat Conference (G) Syed Ali Shah Geelani who is spearheading the ‘quit Kashmir movement’ welcoming Obama’s statement said he has acknowledged the “reality” that Kashmir is a long-standing dispute and needs resolution.
“Obama has endorsed our stand on Kashmir. He has not made the statement in isolation. It is the result of martyrdom of 112 youth and teenagers and unflinching sacrifices rendered by people of Kashmir particularly during the peaceful movement of the past five months,” he        said. Welcoming Obama’s statement, the Chairman of Hurriyat Conference (M) Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said it has been the conglomerate’s persistent demand for third party facilitation to remove trust deficit between India and Pakistan. But our question remains unanswered we Kashmir’s like platitudes but not the hard reality that it is the growing economical power of India which forced Obama to distance himself from the Kashmir issue in the public meetings which we as a nation should accept as a hard reality.  

Hajj, A symbol of unity in the world

The history of Hajj is based on a pilgrimage prior to the times of Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) in the 7^th century. According to Hadith, elements of the hajj traces back to the times of Ibrahim (pbuh) around 200 BC. It is believed that Prophet Ibrahim (pubh) was ordered by almighty Allah to leave your wife Hijra and infant son Ishmael  alone in the desert, while he was gone the child became thirsty and Hajira ran back  for seven times in search of water for her son but she couldn’t find. They baby cried because of thirst and suddenly he hit the ground with his foot and miraculously water sprang forth. This water is today called Zamzam water. In 631 CE Mohammad (pubh) led his followers from Medina to Mecca to perform the first Hajj in the Islamic history and it is also the only maiden Hajj ever performed by Prophet (pubh). It was from this point that the Hajj became one of the five pillars of Islam.

Hajj is currently the world’s largest pilgrimage in which more than five million Muslims across the world are participating every year. It is a kind of solidarity demonstration by the Muslims irrespective of colour, and creed before the Almighty Allah, as it is stated in the Holy Quran, that all Muslims are brother to each other. During the Hajj male pilgrims are required to dress up only in the Ihram, a kind of garment consisting of two sheets of white unstitched clothes and women pilgrims are simply required to wear the Hijab, a normal modest dress which don’t cover face and hands.

During the Hajj the pilgrim has to perform a series of fundamental rituals like first to perform Umrah and has to walk anticlockwise around the Kabah seven times, the cube shaped building which also acts as the Muslim direction of prayers, Stone the devil, drink the water of Zamzam and walk between the hills of Safaha and Marwah. They also travel to the city of Medina, where the Prophet Mohammad’s (pubh) mosque and grave is located. After all these rituals they have to offer animal sacrifice on the day of Eidul-Ada, a festival which also marks the end of hajj.

The pilgrimage occurs from the 8^th to 12^th day of Zul-Hajj, the last month of the Islamic calendar which is eleven days shorter than the Georgian calendar used in the western world. It is mandatory for every Muslim to go for Hajj once in their life time, but it is not necessary for a Muslim who is not economically sound and physically fit. At last Hajj promotes peaceful coexistence, equality and harmony in the world which also Islam literally means and spreads.      

Obama’s maiden visit to India and the mountain of expectations

The security across the India has been beefed up in view of the world’s most powerful country’s president is scheduled to land in the India’s economical capital Mumbai on Saturday along with the largest-ever American business mission for a maiden three day visit after he became the president of United States of America. The three level dimensional security Navy, Air and land have been put in place during his three day stay in India. The security has been tightened up in the capital, Bangalore, and Mumbai where the U.S president is going to visit. The Obam’s visit to india according to the many  political and economical analysts believe that it will definitely strengthen India’s relation with U.S.A  not only at economical front but also at defence level.  India has been on toes from the last two years to convince U.S Congress that the transfer of nuclear technology will be used for the civilian objectives  and not for the military  purpose  and it can boost India’s economy which have been showing a remarkable growing sign from the last five years. On the other hand U.S is looking at India from a strategic level so that they can use India in a proper way to counter Beijing.

 The recent loss of democrats may force U.S president to close his eyes on the core issues of sub-continent like Kashmir, Terrorism and Afghanistan and just focus on the economical ties between the two countries. The U.S govt has recently threatened India that the U.S companies can close their out sourcing centers which spread a pall of gloom in the Indian out sourcing sector, which is the highest sector in India by providing jobs. There are growing speculations in the Indian media as well as in the U.S media that both the countries are going to form a military as well as an economical strategic alliance in the region in order to counter Beijing’s growing ambitions. The changing political contours in the region and the growing closer ties between the two jaint economies will definitely harm America’s relationship with its longstanding friend Pakistan. Who is the key player against the War against terrorism  according to America, but to omit Pakistan from the Menu of current trip to the south Asian countries will definitely make life miserable of the Zardari lead coalition Govt in Pakistani which is already in an enormous pressure from the opposition parties and  religious groups that we should withdraw from the war against terrorism. Because it is Pakistani which has been on the receiving end as for as heavy economical and the sacrifices are concerned during the war against terrorism but their demands have never been entertained by the U.S, take the case of Kashmir for which Pakistan has been pleading before U.S for his intervention but every time they were greeted with cold responses. If India succeed of getting the permanent seat in the Security Council for which they are going to made a strong case before the U.S president in this visit then the solution of Kashmir will become impossible for Pakistan as well for the Kashmir’s.

Pakistan leadership is now hoping that at least Obama should take up Kashmir issue with India but it looks the visit is trade focusing, the way he is accompanied by the largest ever American Business mission. It  is also a message to the Separatists camp in Kashmir, who are having high hopes over the U.S presidents  visit to India that he will give a statement over the recent public upsurge in Kashmir in which more than 117 innocent Kashmir’s were killed in a cold blood by the so called security forces. They should learn a lesson that U.S never compromises over his interests that is why he will start his visit by paying somber tributes to the Mumbai victims at the Taj Hotel. He will not utter a word over the killing of innocent Kashmir’s  and we should realize as a Kashmir that neither the Pakistan nor U.S will do any miracle for us but we have to fight our battle by own, that is the reality of  hour.

Shabir shah manhandled by the Hindu fanatics in Jammu

The senior Hurriyet leader Shabir Ahmad Shad declared by the Amnesty International as the ' prisoner of conscious' was assaulted by a group of  people belonging to a right wing Hindu extremist organisation,when he was addressing a press conference in a local hotel at jammu, after his release from the Kotbalwal jail. It is not the first time they attacked  a Hurriyat leader in Jammu but they have been creating ruckus whenever any separatist leader weather it is Syed Ali Shah Geelani or late Abdul Gani Lone wanted to hold their news conferences in this Hindu dominated Jammu city, they tried to assault them in a full media glare. Yesterday, it was the turn of Shabir Shah, when the activists of Bhartiya Janta Part and the Bajrang Dal barged into a local hotel, where Shah was addressing a press conference and tried to assault Shah but his party men formed a human chain around him and neutralized their nefarious designs. However they ransacked the furniture and threw around the mikes of the TV channels. There are many questions which rises in  the minds of a common  Kashmiri that, why the JKGovt  and JKpolice is not taking any action against such communal elements in the Jammu? Why they have given clean chit to such small forces to create Hooliganism within the state? Why there is a double standard on the part of the JK Govt and JKpolice?

These incidents expose that the JK Govt and the JK police is having a soft corner over these fringe elements in the Jammu City. During the Land Row agitation, it became quit evident, when the same administration and the law enforcement agencies use bullets in the valley and the water sprayers  in the Jammu city, seventy six people were killed in a cold blood in the valley and not a single person died in Jammu despite more than two dozen vehicles of JK police were set on blaze by the violent mob in jammu but in response they didn't fired a single bullet on the  violent mobs in the whole agitation. It became clear as crystal that the will is not there on the part of the state machinery to act against such tangible groups in the city. In fact they were given free hand to start a regin of terror against the minorities and force Kashmir's to leave the city.  Now time and again they are doing the same thing pushing Jammu and Kashmir to a communal confrontation by not allowing the leaders of the majority community to hold a press conference in this part of the state. Unfortunately the Kashmiri migrant Pandits are becoming  prey to the communal forces, when they tried to storm the ITG auditorium at  New Delhi where the tallest leader of the Jammu and  Kashmir Syed Ali Shah Geelani was about to deliver his speech, but hats off to the leader. who appealed the people of Kashmir to maintain peace and harmony with their non-Muslim brothers.  He went a step ahead when he amended his resistance calender and announced that thee will be no strike on the Diwali festival, so that minority community in the valley can celebrate their festival comfortably. Actually Kashmir had a long history of communal harmony when the whole sub-continent was burning in the communal clashes, it was only Kashmir's  which stood by the peace.

It is the high time for the minority community to take moral responsibility and stand against such forces, who are trying to hijack their political importance in the state by using communal methods, which is on any ground not acceptable to the majority community and is not also good to the social fabric of Jammu and Kashmir. They should come forward and condemn such undemocratic ways and also keep a vigil on such communal elements and nip them in the bud. But if they remain silent over these incidents it will be considered they are supporting such jingoism in the state, which can have a adverse effect on the cultural matrix of Jammu and Kashmir.

Abdur Razaq's sensational knock at the Sheik Zaid stadium in Abu Dhabi

After Pakistani cricket teams disastrous debacle in England both on the ground and off the ground. The matching fixing allegations against its three star players by an England newspaper shattered the confidence of entire Pakistan team during the tour. After the controversial England series as over Pakistan was scheduled to play its home series against South Africa at the neutral venue because of security concern in Pakistan. The Pakistan cricket board chooses Emirates its neutral for its all home series against various cricket teams till the security situation improves in Pakistan. In Emirates there is a large no of Pakistani population working and living there, so these venues will serve just home away home for the Pakistan cricket players. The current series of Pakistan against South Africa consists Two T20, five ODI's and two Test matches, but the Pakistani team started with two T20 and a first ODI looses against south Africa because of its poor batting and poor bowling. The third ODI was a thriller one in which first south Africa won the toss and elected to bat first and posted a challenging secore of 287 in the fifty overs on the loss of six wickets. When Pakistan started its run chase as usual the top order start crumbling, at one time they were 135/6 but hats off to Pakistan's all time great all rounder. when he came to bat it was very difficult to seore because the bowler's were bowling a tidy line.He started with cautious as it was calm before storm for South Africa suddenly when run rate start climbing and the wickets were falling on the another side, Razzaq suddenly changed his batting gear and smashed all the bowlers out of the park. In his spectacular inning of 109 not out in just 74 balls he hit ten huge sixes and six boundaries. In the last over Pakistan needed 14 runs with only one wicket in hand but the good thing for Pakistan was that Razaq was on the strike, the first ball of Morne Morkel landed in the crowd with huge six over the on side and then on the third ball of the over he hit another six followed with an extra cover boundry with that Pakistan won the match with one ball to spare. But it was Razaq's single handedly match winning knock of 109 not out ,which cruised Pakistan to a much needed victory.

kashmir conference at New Dehli

Yesterday jamiat-e-ulamia- Hind organised a Kashmir conference at the Ram Lila ground in New Delhi, which was chaired by its president and participated by various eminent personalities of different section of the society .A huge no of Muslims across the India thronged in the conference which started at a 4:00 pm and concluded on the 10 o'clock. A unanimous resolution was passed at the end of the conference in which some suggestions and recommendations were given by the delegates to the UPA govt in order to bring normalcy back in the valley. The main recommendation's are:

a) The AFSPA,PSA should be revoked from the entire state as soon possible.

b) All the political prisoners especially youths who have been recently booked in the charges of stone pelting should be released unconditionally.

c) A special economic package should be given to the valley so that the alienation can be addressed.

d) A commission should be setup to look into the matters of human rights violation in the alley.

e) Composite dialogue should be resumed between the centre and the state.

But one of the Bizarre stance taken by Jamiat-e-ulemia-Islam that Kashmir is an integral part of India will definitely blurred JUIH's creditability in the Kashmir. The M.j.Akbar made a statement during the conference that we are with Kashmir's as long as they wanted to remain with India but if they wanted separation we are not with them. This statement clearly suggest that JUIH organised this conference on the behest of Indian govt so that to give a clear message to the people of Kashmir in general and the separatist's particular that we will not entertain their demand of freedom. It looks that Indian govt tried to kill two birds with a one by used the plate form of JUIH first they send a message to the Kashmir's that freedom is not acceptable second they gave message to president Obama who is expected to give a statement on the Kashmir issue and is visiting India next week, that Indian Muslims are happy in India and they don't support kashmiri Muslims separation from India.